Protective cover



Get. 1, 194G. I M HQBLICK 7 2,216,367

PROTECTIVE COVER Filed Dec. 2, 1939 INVENTOR BENJAMIN M. HOB]. /C K ATTORNEYfi Patented Oct. 1, 1940 UNITED s Afr-Es 2,216,367 PROTECTIVE COVER Benjamin M. Hoblick, Fresno, Calif. Application December 2, 1939, serial'nols omss 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a protective cover for use in connection with members projecting from the edge of an automobile door, such as the latch or the fixed element carried by the door that fits into a recess in the frame for insuring alignment of the latch with the stationary latch receiving member of the frame.

a One of the objects of the invention is a cover of the above character that isadapted to automatically cover such latch, or element, or both, upon opening the door to thereby protect a person entering or leaving the automobile against the grease or dirt usually present on the latch or element, and which cover automatically retracts from over the latch or element upon swinging the door to closed position.

Another object is a protective cover, as described above, for preventing the clothing of a person entering or leaving the automobile from catching on the latch or element.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the specification and drawing annexed hereto.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an automobile door supported from the door frame with my invention indicated in position on the door.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side view, partly in section, showing the latch cover in closed position over a latch, the open position of the cover being indicated in dotted line.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section view taken along line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken alongline 4-4 of Fig. 2.

In'detail, the automobile door I is supported by hinges 2 to frame 3 of the body of the automobile, which door carries a conventional latch 4 (Fig. 2) that is adapted to fit in the conventional latch plate (not shown) of the door frame. Most doors also carry a fixed element 5 (Fig. 1)

positioned below the latch, which element is adapted to fit into a recess in the door frame to insure alignment of the latch with the latch plate and to prevent rattling of the door.

} The latch 4, is of the usual type operated by turning the door handleto open the door, but which latch is constantly spring urged to outwardly projecting position against such turning so as to automatically latch the door closed when the door is slammed shut.

The latch is usually lubricated, and both the latch 4 and element 5, where both are present, are a source of annoyance to persons entering or leaving an automobile, since they tend to catch (or. 292 1) j on the clothing and the clothing becomes soiled in wiping over them. I

In order to eliminate the above objections, I provide an automatically retractable cover for I covering the latch 4 or element 5, or both, which cover presents a smooth,-clean exterior, since it may be plated or polished, and is free from wear in the portion adapted to be exposed when in latch covering position. I

One form of the invention is illustrated in the drawing, which form comprises a pair of vertically spaced pinions 6 mounted on pivots 1 carried by a support 8 that is adapted to be secured to the inner side of the metal door, as by screws 9 extending into metal brackets I0 welded at ll to the metal of the door. The inner side of the metal portion of the door is covered in the usual manner by fabric, or other material, spaced from said inner side so as to provide a space between the fabric, and the said inner side for various mechanicaloperating mechanisms, including the door lock, window lowering and. raising elements, etc.

The teeth l2 of pinions 6 mesh on their adjacent sides with the teeth I3 that are formed on opposite sides of an elongated rack l4, so that upon movement of rack l4 longitudinally the pinions will revolve oppositely.

Each of the pinions carries an arm I 5 projecting from a side thereof in direction perpendicularly of the pivot 1 which arms may be cast or stamped from sheet metal.

The support 8 for the pinions andarms l5 when positioned within the door is disposed behind any suitable latch mechanism supported within a housing I 6, with the arms extending across the upper and lower sides of said housing over the latch 4 that projects outwardly of the edge of the door. The arms extend outwardly of said edge through recesses l8 above and below the said latch.

This same positioning of the arms I 5 is provided with respect to the fixed element 5 that is carried by the door, but at a point spaced from the latch.

The arms l5 are curved toward each other at their outer ends, as indicated at l9 in Fig. 2, so as to meet each other over the outer end of the latch 4, and from their curved ends I 9 said arms: extend over the upper and lower side of the latch and into the door through recesses I 8 to their inner ends where they connect with the pinions. The outer ends of the arms I5 are preferably formed with side walls 20 that at least partially cover the opposite sides of the latch 4, or, as 55 PATENT OF ICE shown in the drawing, said sides may completely cover the sides of the latch when the arms I5 are in engagement at their outer ends, and these side walls may be continued along the edges of the arms to the pinions and thus extend partly over the opposite sides of the housing l6, but this is not essential.

The end of rack [4 that faces toward the hinged edge of the door is secured to one end of a rod 2|, which rod is supported in bearing 22 for longitudinal sliding. V The end of rod 2|, opposite the latch cover, or the inner end thereof,

extends outwardly of the hinged edge of the door to the side of the door frame adjacent said edge,

where a ball and socket connection 23 is made between said inner end and said frame. This connection in itself is conventional in automobile doors wherein the-inner end portion 24 terminates in a head 25 adapted to engage a stop 26 carried by the door for limiting the outward swing of the door. Thus it will be seen that in the simplest form of the invention, as illustrated in Fig. 1, I utilize the portion 24 already in a door, and continue the rod 2! to actuate my latch thereby enabling me to apply the invention to mechanism already in the door, but which mechanism, as now used, is for a different purpose. Also my invention does not destroy the function of the existing portion 24 and the connection between said portion and the door frame.

Where the doors carry the fixed element 5, the arms [5 and the rack Hi and pinions 6 are the same, but the rack} I4 is connected by a right angle rod to rod 2!, one leg 21'! of said right angle rod being parallel with rod 2t and supported in bearing 22', while the other leg 28 of the right angle rod connects with rod 2|, and a suitable brace 29 connecting between the right angle rod and rod 2| may be provided to give rigidity to the right angle rod. 1

The rack I4 being connected by rod 2i with the side of the door frame adjacent the hinged edge of the door, will be forced outwardly toward the edge of the door adjacent the latch when the door is closed due to the fact that the pivots 30 and hinges 2 are horizontally oiTset to one side of the ball and socket connection 23, and thus the arms l5 on pinions B will be revolved about the axes of the pinions to dotted position l5 in Fig, 2 in which the arms are fully enclosed within the confines of the door and the latch is exposed for engagement in the socket of the latch plate (not shown). But when the door is swung; to open position, the outer ends of arms l5 will automatically swing together, to thereby enclose the latch 4 against any possible-engagement between the latch and the clothing of a person entering or leaving the automobile; The same automatic enclosing and uncovering of element 5 occurs with opening and closing of the door, since the mechanism at said element is identical with the mechanism covering the latch, and is operated from the same ball and socket connection with the fixed side of the door frame.

Heretofore many efforts have been directed to.- ward automatic withdrawal and extension of the door latch, but such eiforts have required special latches and latch operating mechanisms, and the dirt and grease that is normally carriedby the latch is generally deposited on the edge of the door directly around the latch opening. My invention contemplates covering the latch as well as the area directly around the same. The latch operating mechanism is not altered.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In adoor and mounting therefore supporting the door for swinging from open to closed position and vice versa, a latch projecting from one edge of the door, a latch cover, means mounting said cover for movement from latch covering position to a position uncovering said latch, cover actuating means connecting between said door mounting and said cover actuated by movement of the door from open to closed position and from closed position to open position causing movement of the cover from latch covering position to latch uncovering position and vice versa.

2. In a construction as defined in claim 1, said latch cover comprising a pair of arms positioned at opposite sides of said latch adapted to move in and out of the door upon swinging of said door to open and closed'po-sition for uncovering and covering the latch and said arms being arranged and adapted to extend over the outer end of the latch when in latch covering position.

3. In a construction as defined in claim 1, said latch cover comprising a pair of arms positioned at opposite sides of said latch, said door being provided with recesses adapted to receive said arms therein in position within the confines of the door when the arms are in latch uncovering position, and the means mounting said cover including a pivot supporting one end of each arm in one of said recesses for swinging movement of the opposite ends out of said recesses and over said latch upon actuation of said cover actuating means.

A. In a door and mounting therefore supporting the door for swinging from open to closed position and vice versa, a latch and a latch aligning member projecting from an edge of the door, separate covers for said latch and latch aligning member, means mounting each of said covers for movement from a position covering said latch and said member to a position uncovering the latch and member, actuating means connecting between said covers and said door mounting actuated by movement of the door from open to closed position and from closed to open position causing move ment of said covers from latch and member covering position to latch and member uncovering position and vice versa.

5. In a construction as defined in claim 4, said actuating means including a single rod pivotally connected at one end to said door mounting.

6. A lat-ch cover for a door latch comprising a pair of arms pivoted at one of their ends for swinging of their opposite ends into engagement with each other, the adjacent sides of said opposite end being formed to cooperate with each other when said opposite ends are in engagement for forming a recess adapted to receive and to enclose said latch therein and means for swinging said arms on said pivots oppositely outwardly for exposing the latch adapted to be enclosed in said recess.

7. Ina construction as defined in claim 6, said means for swinging said arms including pinions secured to said arms in spaced relation, a rack between said pinions in mesh therewith.

BENJAMIN M. I-IOBLICK. 

